NPLD Site Manager Manual
How to Use This Manual
Welcome to the NPLD Site Manager Manual!
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) has developed this manual to support new and returning site managers in planning and executing successful in-person National Public Lands Day (NPLD) events. It is packed with tools, templates, worksheets, and best practices that have been collected over the years from experienced NPLD site managers. Whether this is your first NPLD or your 25th, we hope this manual will help you get the most out of your National Public Lands Day celebration.
Please note: This guide was created for use in planning and executing in-person NPLD events. In order to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, NEEF strongly encourages Site Managers to follow all state and CDC guidelines for holding in-person events or consider hosting a virtual volunteering event instead.
This guide is broken into six main sections:
National Public Lands Day Overview
How did National Public Lands Day start? What is NEEF's involvement with NPLD? What other partners and organizations make this annual event possible? This section provides a brief overview of National Public Lands Day.
Planning: From Idea to Action
This first step to hosting a successful National Public Lands Day event is good planning. This section is designed to help site managers develop an achievable action plan. It includes suggestions for selecting an NPLD event site, acquiring necessary permits, drafting an event budget, and building an event team to help execute the action plan.
Organizing: Engaging the Community and Partners
Engaging local partners from the community is a key strategy in hosting a successful NPLD event. This section includes recommendations for engaging the surrounding community and local partners in your NPLD event.
Promoting: Spreading the Word and Recruiting Volunteers
Recruiting and retaining volunteers is essential for the success of your National Public Lands Day event. This section has tools and resources to help you promote your NPLD event and recruit volunteers. This sections also includes detailed instructions on how to register your NPLD event on the official National Public Lands Day Event Locator.
Hosting: Successfully Executing Your NPLD Event
After weeks of planning, National Public Lands Day is here! This section is designed to assist site managers with ‘day-of event’ logistics. It includes detailed information on creating an event agenda, developing an inclement weather plan, managing risk, and more.
Wrap-Up: Post NPLD Event Activities
There are three major post-event activities: following-up with partners, thanking volunteers, and submitting NPLD post-event survey to NEEF. This section will walk you through each of these activities.